Ancient and Always Awesome Athens

One of many ancient ruins in the Athens historic center

On a beautifully clear day, we flew for just 2 ½ hours from Geneva to Athens on Swiss Air, a new carrier for us, in an Airbus 320.  Swiss Air was no great shakes as an airline, but one accolade to them was the improved amount of leg-room for the economy seating (that’s us!!), which always makes for a more relaxing flight. The day was cloudless as we came across the Adriatic Sea, and it made for a spectacular landing at Athens International Airport, called Eleftherios Venizelos, just north of Athens. As we remembered, the terrain around Athens is always parched-looking and dessert-like, although it was not overly hot on the day we arrived.   

Vacant buildings around Athens like these are a
reminder of the economic collapse that still grips Greece

We haven’t been back to Greece in about 9 years, but we’ve visited several times exploring the mainland and some of the more prominent islands.  We have always held Greece in high esteem for its beautiful country, its friendly, generous, and fun-loving people, and its ubiquitous antiquity and history. We really didn’t know what to expect from the Greeks this time around given all their new economic problems; but we had no reason to worry – although the city felt a bit sad at times, in general, the people were just as warm and welcoming as ever.

Byzantine church right below our hotel balcony

The "Central Hotel" (our hotel here in Athens) is, as the name implies, perfectly located right in the center of historic Athens. In fact, the balcony of our room offers a double delight: an ancient Byzantine church with a bulbous dome directly below us almost within spitting distance and the Acropolis, in full sight of our balcony. 

Magnificent night time view of the Acropolis from
the rooftop of our hotel

The hotel also has a rooftop bar, the perfect place after dark to drink a beer or a wine while mesmerizing oneself with the haunting, well-lit glowing Acropolis above.

Peaceful ruins of the Ancient Agora

Ancient Agora

The Greek word "Agora" means open space for assemblies and markets.  We love ancient sites and Athens has a ton of them. We visited the Ancient Agora which sits at the base of the Acropolis and was once the center of Athens life with prominent government buildings, the most popular temples, and plenty of shops and cafés. 

Ancient ballot box

Today the once bustling Agora is a peaceful place with olive trees growing among the rubble and the ruins of antiquity. The Ancient Agora Museum offered a look at what life was once like with artifacts such as elaborately decorated pottery, modern-looking kebab skewers, and an early version of a ballot box where citizens of the world’s first democracy would have cast their votes.

The glorious Temple of Hephaistos

One of the most beautiful buildings on the Agora is the Temple of Hephaistos, the best-preserved Doric temple in Greece. This stunning temple sits on a hill surrounded by much greenery, a testament to the simple elegance of Greek architecture.

Shopping on the Plaka

The Plaka

Our hotel sits on the edge of the Plaka, a touristy but fun plaza area filled with shops and restaurants. We had a blast checking out the souvenirs and talking with the shopkeepers. They were so nice; we wanted to buy from everyone (Anne did her best, ha, ha). We also got the chance to sharpen our language skills with an appropriate assortment of newly-learned Greek words. 

Amazing assortment of sandals for sale on the Plaka

Some of the vendors were way too aggressive (often with a hint of desperation which made us feel sorry for them), but most were more than kind. We spoke with a shop owner who was born in Germany (of Greek parents). He told us he admired the orderliness of the German people and said that if Greece had a government like Germany’s they would have no debt!

Anne takin' a dip with the fishes!

Anne had a very unusual experience in the Plaka at “Doctor Fish”, a special kind of spa where fish swim about, and eat the dead skin from your feet. As their advertising says, “For once, you are the fish food.” Frank decided to photograph the event rather than participate, but Anne ‘dove’ right in (so to speak). First, she was instructed to wash and dry some of the stink off her feet, and then she sat on a chair with a large fish tank in front of her at approximately foot level. She lowered her feet into the water, and fish swarmed to nibble on her feet. It was like an “Attack of the Piranhas” horror film (Ben, you know what we are talking about!)

The "little therapists" at work!

Anne had to admit that watching the fish attack her feet was a bit disturbing. She kept laughing because the nibbling kind of tickled. The little fish are Garra Rufa (a type of carp), and they have no teeth, only a suction cup perfect for foot chomping/cleansing. Doctor Fish calls them their “little therapists.” Ten minutes of “therapy” was more than enough, but Anne’s feet did feel softer and rejuvenated.

Atmospheric Mnisikleous Street

Foodie Paradise

To say we loved the food here doesn’t even come close to describing the gastronomic delight of Greek dishes, all seemingly prepared with the freshest of ingredients. Here are a few of our favorite meal experiences: On our first night, we ate at a restaurant on a gorgeous “stepped” street just below the Acropolis called Mnisikleous (recommended to us by our kids, M & M). Climbing the steps with atmospheric restaurants and Greek music emanating from each side was like running the gauntlet as we were gently but continuously assaulted with offers to come sit down for dinner.

The wonders of a simple Greek salad!

We were feeling exhausted by the entreaties until we met kindly Petros who politely suggested we eat at his restaurant, Sisyphus. His outside terrace was empty of people (not a good sign), but we instinctively liked the guy, so we decided to eat there regardless of the lack of a crowd. And, we had a fabulous meal. Words cannot describe the freshness of vegetables in Greece; a simple fresh Greek salad is a feast unattainable anywhere we’ve ever tried in America!  It just doesn’t taste the same anywhere else. 

What a night with Petros at his Sisyphus restaurant

At the end of the meal after listening to our barrage of compliments, Petros thanked us and said, “I know it is hard to choose to eat in an empty restaurant, and I thank you for trusting me.” He was such a great guy. As we were leaving, he asked if he could take a picture with us for his scrapbook and he called us his friends.  Of course we did and reciprocated in kind.

Our new friend Alexandra

Another favorite restaurant experience was at Liopetro with our new fun Greek buddy Alexandra. She was so down-to-earth, helpful, and not at all pushy that we had to eat at her restaurant. The meal was extraordinary – especially an appetizer with slices of grilled haloumi (cheese) and tomatoes stacked on a pita. The combination of smoky cheese and juicy tomatoes was incredible! We saw Alexandra several times during our stay and even exchanged email addresses. Always fun to make new friends as we travel.

Musician at the Kapni Karea Café

We had a music-filled lunch at a café called “Kapni Karea”. The place looked a little less than inviting, but the food was great, the folks were friendly, and the live traditional Greek music was fabulous.  A guitarist and another stringed instrument player (lute?) sang their hearts out. As always, the food was terrific especially a lemon lamb dish. A guy sitting near us kept himself occupied with the strange Greek custom of working his worry beads. You see this all over Greece, the men slide beads on a string back and forth clicking and clacking, working off their stress.

In front of the Temple of Poseidon

Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon

We visited another famous temple on a private tour outside of the city: the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion. Our entertaining driver, Dimitrius, picked us up at the hotel and kept us laughing all the way down to the Cape at the southernmost point in this part of Greece. We followed the coastal road for about 50 miles south of Athens, with views of the gorgeous, royal blue sea as we drove through small beach towns and past seaside resorts. We had no idea Athens was so close to the beach. At times, we felt as if we were on one of the islands rather than on mainland Greece, just a short distance south of the capitol city.

At Vouliagmeni Lake

We stopped at a scenic hot spring called Vouliagmeni Lake where people come to “take the waters.” The minerals in the spring are believed to be therapeutic for skin ailments, such as psoriasis and eczema, and even joint problems like arthritis, rheumatism, etc. The scenic pool looks like a former quarry with a ragged cliff on three sides, but Dimitrius swears it is a natural phenomenon. Anne ran her fingers thru the gentle waters, and a swarm of little fish immediately appeared. These were the very same flesh-eaters who chomped on her feet back at the Doctor Fish place yesterday. Apparently, they were back for more; they must have thought she was quite a dish!  Heh, heh.

Sunset at Cape Sounion

We arrived at Cape Sounion in time to eat a light supper at a Fish Taverna with a view of the famous temple on the hill above us. We had timed our visit to see the Temple at sunset, so we quickly finished our meal to drive up to a point just below the site. The Temple of Poseidon has an incredible location on a promontory near the spot where the Adriatic and Aegean Seas meet. In ancient times, sailors would visit the temple before sailing out to sea to beseech the gods for a safe voyage.

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion

The ruins of the Temple were impressive, but the sunset added a whole new dimension. We don’t even know how to describe the grandeur of this sight, and unfortunately, even the pictures can’t do it justice. 

Words can't describe the majesty of this moment

One last look at the Temple of Poseidon

We felt overwhelmed by the antiquity of these ancient ruins and the majesty of the sunset over the seas. Although this temple is humbler and less significant than the Parthenon, the amazing sunset behind the stunning temple ruins ranks as one of our favorite Greek experiences.

The sad side of today's Athens

The People and the Politics

As you know, Greece has been in the news so much lately for negative reasons, with various political factions demonstrating for/against their government continuing to be a part of the European Union.  We don’t totally understand the internal problems, but when you listen to the news, it sounds like the Greeks are screwing themselves by demanding too many entitlements. However, when you hunker down with an individual Greek citizen, one-on-one, and discuss the details, it sounds as if there are two main problems: the corruption of the government and the rich managing to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. The bottom line is that the Greek middle class is getting screwed.  Another major problem is the influx of refugees arriving daily from Syria and other Arab countries. As Dimitrius said, “I understand that the refugees are fleeing terrible circumstances, but Greece is no paradise for them; we don’t have enough jobs for our own people.”    

Yammas (cheers) to the resilience of the Greek people!

In spite of all this, the Greek people are among the friendliest and kindest you will find anywhere. Even when they are obviously worried about their future, they put on a happy smile and do everything they can to make their visitors happy. The lovely tradition of a “gift” at the end of a meal that we were so touched by many years ago still continues. From yummy pecan cake awash in honey to shots of liquor called Mastic, these end-of-the-meal gifts had us leaving restaurants glowing with good will.  

By the way, the Mastic liquor is made from the sap of the mastic tree. The sap forms like teardrops on the side of the tree, and the drink is much smoother and tastier than Raki. The Greek island of Chios is the only place where the Mastic trees grow, making this liquor a unique Greek treat.

More pics from Athens:

More ruins of ancient Athens

Shopping in the Plaka

Ancient kebab set at the Ancient Agora Museum

Outside the Ancient Agora Museum in Athens

Baklava, one of the world's greatest desserts 

Yammas to all things Greek:
history, culture, music, food, and wine!

Bonjour Geneve (aka Geneva)

"Super Moon Eclipse" as seen from our
plane somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean

Our transatlantic flight to Geneva was reasonably comfortable and better than our recent United Airlines experiences. The highlight was watching the "super moon eclipse" from the plane. It was hard to get good pix from the window of a plane, but we tried.  This was a really cool and totally unobstructed view of the various phases of the eclipse. (This one's for you Clif, our resident neighborhood astronomer!)

Lake Geneva with the French Alps in the background

They speak French here in Geneva (which has given us a chance to brush up on our French language skills before we get to Paris). Geneva is surprisingly French-like in other ways as well. The mountains that shelter the city are actually the French Alps, not the Swiss Alps, and 1/3 of the working population in Geneva live in nearby France. The French border is only 5 kilometers (3.5 miles away), and it is much cheaper living there than in Switzerland.

"Old Man and the Swans" down
on the banks of Lake Geneva

Geneva surprised us in other ways too. Although it is ridiculously expensive like all of Switzerland (a cheap street vendor with kebab meals for two cost us $30), we received handy public transportation cards from our hotel at check-in that allowed us to roam all over the city for free.

International flags at the entrance to the
United Nations

We spent only two nights here in Geneva, but a city tour gave us a good introduction. The first part of the tour concentrated on the international side of Geneva with a drive past the United Nations building (quite small but colorful with flags of all the participating countries lining the entrance walkway). Geneva is also home to an impressive array of world organizations like the WHO (World Health Organization), the WTO (World Trade Organization), and a refugee support organization that must be very busy these days. Nearby stands the palace of Woodrow Wilson, our American President who was instrumental in forming the League of Nations, predecessor to the U.N. The Red Cross Headquarters is also located here in an elegant mansion on a hill. We were interested to learn that the Red Cross is not an international organization, but strictly a Swiss outfit.

The famous "Jet d'Eau"
fountain on Lake Geneva

Geneva sits right on Lake Geneva, and the water is never far from view (the locals often call Lake Geneva - "Lac Leman", a name which dates back to Roman times). They even have a beach for swimming in the summer. A famous water fountain, called Jet d'Eau, is located right in the middle of the lake and shoots a powerful jet of water over 450 feet into the air. The spray from the wind makes the fountain look almost like the giant sail of a ship.

The mini tourist train in Old Town Geneva

Next on our city tour, we hopped on a funny little green train for a tour thru the Old Town. We've heard people call this the "white-hair's train", but when it's part of the tour, even us :"non-white hairs" are game!! OK, maybe we do have a few "white-hairs", and belong on this goofy train.  We have always made fun of these tourist trains, but we have to admit the little "guy" gave us an easy, restful, and quick look all around the Old Town of Geneva, with clear, interesting commentary explaining the history of the city. This area was our favorite part of Geneva -- a charming old quarter where narrow, winding, medieval streets are lined with tall, stately stone buildings filled with shops and restaurants serving local cuisine (lots of fondue!).

Stunning architecture in Old town Geneva

Frank says, "Cin cin while toasting
with a delicious Dole wine"

Speaking of fondue, we ate an excellent lunch at a restaurant named "Les Amures", a favorite of the Clintons. We figured if it is good enough for Bill and Hillary, it should be just fine for the Supsics. Well, it was much more than just fine: some of the best French onion soup ever, fantastic cheese fondue, sausage and rosti (crispy Swiss hash browns), plus some delicious Swiss wine called "Dole." As Anne said to Frank many times during this dinner, "I love being on the Dole!"

Elaborate metal model of the city of Geneva in 1850

After lunch, we visited Maison Tavel, a free history museum in the city's oldest house. Frank thought the price was just about right, but the museum had some interesting memorabilia from the 18th c. and an elaborately detailed model of how the city appeared in 1850.

Delectable Swiss chocolates for sale at Auer choco shop

Another Geneva treat was the fine Swiss chocolate available in choco shops all over the city. We visited two of the best: chocolate vendors, Favarger and Auer. And of course, we'll be bringing some home.  Actually, since we're addicted to fine choco, we'll be bringing a lot back home!!

More pictures from Geneva:

More bird life on Lake Geneva

Anne is astounded by this TINY car

Swiss watch shops are ubiquitous in Geneva!

Flags are big in Geneva -- they are on display on
every bridge and many streets too

This monument to the Reformation commemorates Geneva's
role as a refuge for Protestants fleeing persecuation in
Catholic countries like France and Italy

Collection of old doors and door knockers
at Maison Tavel

Evocative UN sculpture dedicated to
land mine victims around the world

Sunset over Geneva from the balcony of our hotel room

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Trip Start-up

Love the Greeks -- OPAH!

The lure of the lower euro was too much for us, so we decided to head back to some of our European favorites. But first, we will begin the trip with a new place: Geneva, Switzerland.

Next we will spend a few days in Athens, Greece before flying to the Greek island of Corfu where we hope to spend an idyllic week enjoying Greek culture, food, and of course, drink. We'll wrap up the trip in Paris, Anne's favorite city in the world.

Here is the trip in a nutshell:

Geneva, Switzerland -- A chance to get an overview of the city (and eat some famous fondue and Swiss chocolate).

Athens, Greece -- An old favorite of ours -- this time, we plan to visit Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon (very scenic spot outside the city).

Corfu, Greece -- We love the Greek Islands, and many folks think Corfu is the most beautiful of them all.  For us, the jury is still out.

Paris, France -- What can we say? We have an addiction (at least Anne does).

We look forward to another adventure with you at our side!

Yassou (goodbye in Greek),

Frank & Anne

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